Lloyd Alter - Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle: Why Individual Climate Action Matters More Than Ever

For years Ive relied on Lloyd Alters no-nonsense insight in Treehugger, including his direct, and to-the-point reflections on the elements of a better urban life. In his new, equally clear book, hes done it again with an immensely practical set of insights and rules to live by. With wisdom gleaned during the pandemic-year, Lloyd joins Paul Hawken as a master of the carbon drawdown roadmap.

Chuck Wolfe, Seeing Better Cities Group, author, Sustaining a Citys Culture and Character

This joyful adventure in 1.5 degree living shows that a focus on sufficiency can unlock a happier, healthier sustainable way of life. Efficiency has dominated precisely because it perpetuates the status quo but Lloyds story shines a light on why we must transform our vision of a good life as well as practical tips for how to do it.

Kate Power, development director, Hot or Cool Institute

In the race against climate change some lifestyle changes make a big difference and some are negligible. Lloyd Alters on-point analysis helps us sort out the differences. Consumers must reduce demand for climate-cooking goods and services, but policy changes are equally needed to remove institutional barriers to sustainable ways of life. Alter shows us that we need to re-learn what it is that we really need for prosperity, and unlearn the unquenchable thirst for more, which the infinite growth economy has worked so hard to instill.

Bart Hawkins Kreps, writer, editor

Lloyd Alters writing is always fresh, incisive, and thoughtful and, in this timely and clearly written call to action, he tells us exactly what we as citizens of the world must do in our everyday lives to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions before its too late. Reflecting Alters background as an architect and real estate developer, this book is at once idealistic and pragmatic, and the lifestyle issues it addresses based on the authors own experience could not be more urgent. Governments and businesses cannot solve this problem without actions by each of us as individuals, and Alter tells us how.

F. Kaid Benfield, Senior Counsel, PlaceMakers LLC

The toughest question for the next two decades is how to pull back from the brink. Part of the answer has to do with government policy and low-carbon technologies. But the path to net zero has to be about more than just consenting to new rules. It must also be about figuring out how we can reduce carbon through our choices: where we live, what we eat, how we move around, and so on.

John Lorinc, writer, journalist

With fact-based research and tales of personal experience, Lloyd will reach many new audiences with this book. I, for one, embrace a return to the concept of sufficiency with regard to transportation, food, and more. For all whove been preaching climate action, or skirting it, I implore you to read this book and own up to all the ways you could try harder, and then get louder about sharing the overall life benefits you gain.

Andrea Learned, climate leadership strategist, founder, #Bikes4Climate

Lloyd Alter has created a highly engaging, intelligent, and thoughtful manual for living the 1.5-degree lifestyle. There is plenty of myth-busting, supported by quality, in-depth research which goes far beyond the usual well-worn clichs and mantras. He humanises and crystallizes the choices and trade-offs we have to make to keep within 1.5C global warming, so it is sufficient with enough to go around for everyone.

Rosalind Readhead, English climate activist

Why Individual Climate Action Matters More than Ever

Lloyd Alter

Copyright 2021 by Lloyd Alter.

All rights reserved.

Cover design by Diane McIntosh.

Cover image: iStock.

Printed in Canada. First printing September, 2021.

This book is intended to be educational and informative. It is not intended to serve as a guide. The author and publisher disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk that may be associated with the application of any of the contents of this book.

Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com.

Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to:

New Society Publishers

P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada

(250) 247-9737

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION

Title: Living the 1.5 degree lifestyle : why individual
climate action matters more than ever / Lloyd Alter.

Other titles: Living the one point five degree lifestyle

Names: Alter, Lloyd, author.

Description: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20210194626 | Canadiana (ebook) 20210194820 | ISBN 9780865719644 (softcover) | ISBN 9781550927573 (PDF) | ISBN 9781771423533 (EPUB)

Subjects: LCSH: Sustainable living. | LCSH: Environmental protectionCitizen participation. | LCSH: Climate change mitigationCitizen participation.

Classification: LCC GE196 .A48 2021 | DDC 640.28/6dc23

New Society Publishers mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision.

To my wife, Kelly, who put up with all of this, and to kids, Emma, who rides a bike all winter, and Claire, who never learned to drive. I evidently had some small influence.

First, I have to acknowledge Rosalind Readhead in London, who did this before me and turned me on to the idea. But then I have to go back to Graham Hill, who started Treehugger and gave me a ten-buck-a-post gig writing 15 years ago. That eventually led to a working full-time with a succession of really smart people, including Meaghan ONeill, Ken Rother, Emily Murphy, Molly Fergus, and Melissa Breyer who put up with me and edited me. Then there were people who inspired and influenced me, including Steve Mouzon, Kaid Benfield, Alex Steffen, and Kris de Decker. But perhaps the most important event was learning about Passivhaus and all the people in the Passivhaus community that I have become friends with and learned so much from, including Wolfgang Feist, Monte Paulsen, Mike Eliason, Bronwyn Barry, Elrond Burrell, Ken Levenson, and so many I have missed here. Also pivotal was teaching at the Ryerson School of Interior Design; Chair Lois Weinthal and a dozen classes of students who taught me more than I ever taught them. Finally, there are the people who got me to this stage with this book, including lawyer Willa Marcus and editors Rob West and Judith Brand.

I used to have a monster carbon footprint. At the end of the last century, I was in my second career (my first was as an architect) as a successful real estate developer in Toronto, building award-winning condominiums. I drove my classic Porsche 914 the couple of blocks between office and jobsite; I drove my daughters to school and down to the lake every morning in the rowing season; then on winter weekends, we drove up to the private ski club where all the rich developers hung out. Every weekend in summer, I drove the family up to our summer cottage in Muskoka. Throw in a few flights every year, and I was probably emitting about 30 tonnes of CO2 per year in the process, or what could be called a 30-tonne lifestyle.